jealousy
by saraahPM
Summary: Bumi's back in town, and Tenzin is more than a little jealous that Lin may be interested in his brother. Linzin. A/N: it started out as a light oneshot, but I decided to continue it and add more angst and feels
1. Chapter 1

It was pretty unclear who had thrown this huge party celebrating Amon's defeat, but Lin had a sneaking suspicion that it was Korra's doing.

Coaxing her out of her preferred uniform and into this revealing black dress was also Korra's doing. Letting her hair out of its preferred knot was also Korra's idea. Lin felt that she owed the young avatar, so she played along with her, but now she felt uncomfortable and totally out of her element. She could feel the tight dress hugging every curve on her body, and she was aware how much of her cleavage was showing as well, and despite her numerous attempts to pull up the confounded dress, it was all in vain.

Lin sighed. She seemed to be the only person in the room not talking, dancing or otherwise mingling with anyone. She had just made up her mind to slip away from this place when Tenzin's brother Bumi casually walked up towards her.

"It's been a long time, eh Lin?" he grinned, touching her arm lightly. "So this is what you've been hiding under that uniform all of these years. Can't _believe_ my brother let you go, honestly."

"You haven't changed a bit, Bumi," she said dryly, moving her arm away.

Undeterred, Bumi slid an arm around Lin's waist. "Come on, at least dance with me. Just once. Promise," he asked, pouting at her.

Lin sighed. "Fine! One dance. And then you leave me alone," she replied, placing one hand on his shoulder, and letting Bumi lead.

* * *

Tenzin had been working up the courage to go and talk to Lin all night to personally thank her for all she had done for his family, something he hadn't gotten a chance to do before in all of the chaos. But she had looked so entirely angry and annoyed until then, that he had not dared approach her, for fear of making her even angrier.

So one could imagine his annoyance when he saw her dancing with his brother, the scowl gone from her face. Although he was dancing with Pema, more often than not, his eyes were on Lin.

"What _are _you looking at?" Pema asked for the third time.

"Nothing, dear. Just a bit distracted, that's all." Tenzin smiled weakly at his wife, determined to keep his eyes on her this time.

But he couldn't ignore that gnawing feeling inside of him, seeing Lin dancing with his brother, looking _happy. _Well, happier than usual, of course.

Eventually, Pema had to go feed and change Rohan, leaving Tenzin with just a few moments to go and thank Lin for what she had done. He briskly made his way over to where Lin and his brother were dancing.

"Excuse me, Bumi. Could I borrow Lin for a moment?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"She's all yours," he grinned, sauntering off to dance with another woman. Lin looked at Bumi incredulously, having hoped that he would turn Tenzin away.

After a few awkward moments of just standing there and saying nothing, Tenzin wound his arm around Lin's familiar waist, and began moving along the dance floor.

"You wanted to _dance_ with me?" she asked, her eyes shooting daggers.

Tenzin looked uncomfortable. "Actually, I just wanted to talk to you Lin. And might I add that you are looking radiant, as always."

"Cut the garbage, Tenzin, and just spit out what you want to say," she snapped.

"I mean it, Lin. You look stunning," he said, the tips of his ears turning red.

"Is that all you pulled me aside to say? Well then, thank you very much. You look stunning yourself. Now, if that's all, I'll go back to Bumi," she replied, a light blush flushing her cheeks as well.

"Back to _Bumi_? What does my brother have that I don't?" he retorted, forgetting himself, and his wife, for a moment.

Lin laughed, and the blush spread from Tenzin's ears to his cheeks. "For starters, Bumi doesn't have a wife," she pointed out. "And second, he's a great person to talk to. I mean he has interesting stories from the United Forces, and we have a lot in common. He's not hard on the eyes either, for that matter."

"Are you…_interested _in Bumi?" he asked incredulously. "You can't be serious."

Lin looked deeply offended, and anger flashed in her eyes. "And why can't I be interested in Bumi?"

"Because you're…" He bit his tongue and looked away. _Mine. _

"Because I'm what, Tenzin? Yours?" she asked, staring at him.

"Of…of course not," he stammered, knowing that Lin had already felt his lie through the earth.

"You're not mine anymore, and I'm not yours. I have every right to be happy as well, you know," she said. "And if Bumi makes me happy, it's none of your concern."

"I just…don't want to see you get hurt, Lin," he sighed.

"Trust me Tenzin. Nothing in the world could make me get _hurt_ anymore after the pain I've been through before. Now spit out what you wanted to say, and leave me alone."

"I just wanted to thank you for what you did for my family…" he said, looking into her eyes. "You're Meelo's hero, you know. And mine."

"All in a day's work," she said, shrugging. "Tell the kid thanks, though. And you're wife's back, and looks about ready to destroy something, so I suggest you let go of me."

"Ah, yes," he said, immediately taking his hands off of her. "Thanks for the dance, Lin."

"Anytime, airhead," she replied, a smile playing at her lips. Tenzin smiled back, blushing at the old nickname, before he turned around to head back towards Pema.

"Oh, and Tenzin? You don't need to worry about Bumi. I'm already in love with someone else."

Jealousy flashed in his eyes again. "What? Who?"

"I think you know him. I've been in love with him since I was ten, after all." She looked into his eyes one last time before turning around and leaving the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Lin's final words to Tenzin before she had left the room were still reverberating in his mind; hours after the party had ended. He was lying in bed, unable to sleep. _She can't mean it, can she? She can't still be in love with me after all of these years…_

But the more he thought about it, the more Tenzin realized that her words could in fact be true. In the almost 15 years since their breakup, he had not once seen Lin with another man. He had not heard any rumours about her dating someone else, whether true or untrue.

It wasn't that he regretted being with Pema. He loved his wife and his children more than anything. And he had moved on from Lin. Or at least, he had thought that she had moved on, and therefore he had forced himself to move on and be happy.

But now that he had realized that Lin was still in love with him, had been in love with him for the past _forty years_, Tenzin realized that well, he wasn't completely over Lin either. He knew he still loved Lin.

Tenzin loved Pema too, but his love for the two girls was very different, the emotions reflecting the personalities of both women.

His love for Pema was soft, warm and overall kind of familiar and fluffy. His love for Lin was fierce, passionate, strong and unchanging. Tenzin sighed, knowing that it was wrong to feel about another woman this way, especially with his wife lying right next to him, but he couldn't help it.

Thinking back on their breakup, Tenzin realized that he had been an a-class _jerk. _He had broken up with the love of his life for his duty. He had broken her heart, although she would never admit it. Tenzin had only ever seen Lin Beifong crying twice in his life, once when her mother had died, and the second time when he had broken up with her. She hadn't cried in front of him, of course, but later that night, when he went to her house to check up on her, he could hear her sobs through the walls of the Beifong mansion.

Tenzin cringed at the memory. _I really was all she had left after her mother had died. And I just cast her aside._

Tenzin carefully got out of bed and got dressed. He grabbed his glider and looked at his sleeping wife one last time before flying out of the window.

He needed closure.

* * *

**A/N: **This was meant to be a oneshot, but a lot of people requested I continue it, and people put it on their watch list, even though it was completed. So I decided to continue it! ^^  
I'll be adding more chapters after this as well, so please R&R! 3


	3. Chapter 3

Lin rolled her eyes at another remark Bumi had made, praying to the spirits that he would leave soon. He had shown up at her house an hour after the party had ended, and he just would not leave. She was in her nightclothes; only a white camisole and a pair of thin, cotton shorts, and all she wanted to do was just sleep.

"So then I told him, HELL NAWW BRO you are NOT getting away from Bumi and his sword! And I showed that Equalist who was BOSS!" Bumi grinned. He was standing up and acting out the motions, and Lin could tell that he was completely and utterly drunk. For one, he had told this same story three times before.

"That's amazing, Bumi," she said, a tight-lipped smile on her face. "Now, it's late. Can you please _leave_?"

"You don't really want that, do you Lin?" he grinned, sitting down next to her. He touched her arm lightly. "You're at least a little attracted to me. I know it!"

Lin hesitated. To be honest, she had always like Bumi a little bit. Not as much as she had like Tenzin though, but it was always a grudging sort of admiration and respect. Being a non-bender in one of the most powerful bending families in the world had to be tough. But Bumi never let it get to him, just like his uncle Sokka had never let it get to him either. And she loved that about him.

Lin sighed. _I might as well just give him what he came here for. Who knows? Maybe he does want a long-term relationship. Maybe I'll even get that connection with him that I did with Tenzin…_

"I am a little attracted to you, Bumi, I'll admit it. But I haven't seen you in years. You really can't expect me to…"

He sighed. "You're right, Beifong. But c'mon, give me a chance at least," he grinned. "I'm in town for about a month, I think. We can hang out and get to know each other…"

Lin smiled, despite herself. "You know, I'd actually like that, Bumi. Thank you."

In much greater spirits, Bumi gave Lin a goodbye hug and skipped out of the door. What he didn't know was that Tenzin was hiding in the bushes a mere two feet away.

Lin sighed, shutting the door and putting all of Bumi's teacups onto a plate to take them back to the kitchen. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door again.

"I thought we said goodbye for tonight, Bumi," she said loudly, walking towards the door. "If this is for another hug I swear…" She was caught off guard when she saw Tenzin at the door.

Exasperated, she rolled her eyes. "What is _wrong_ with your family? Can't you just leave me alone? What do _you_ want?"

Tenzin invited himself inside, and sat down. "I was hoping we could talk."

"In the middle of the night, at _my house_? Couldn't this wait till tomorrow, at the Police Headquarters? Or wherever? Does your _wife_ know about your midnight visits?" she said shortly, really not in the mood to deal with Tenzin at this point.

"Lin, was what you said true? About still being in love with me?" he asked, ignoring all of her comments.

She sat down on a chair opposite from him. "Oh so now you want to talk about our feelings. It's a little too late for that, Tenzin. Fifteen years too late."

He frowned. "So it wasn't true?" he asked tentatively.

"You know what, I have nothing to lose right now. Hell, I'll tell you everything, alright? Every single feeling, every emotion, everything I ever felt while I was with you, and even today. And I'll tell you the story you never knew, Tenzin. The story I was going to tell you before you _accused_ me of being a selfish bitch, decided that I obviously didn't love you as much as Pema did, and assumed that because of that accident, I couldn't have children anymore."


	4. Chapter 4

Tenzin stared at her, mouth agape. But he didn't say anything, wanting to hear her story before he jumped to conclusions.

Lin sighed before opening her mouth to speak. "I'm sure you remember the week before the day that you broke up with me, Tenzin," she said, her voice icy. "And remember how you constantly told me to go to your mother for a healing, to see if she could fix…what had happened during the accident? I listened to you."

Tenzin blinked rapidly, trying to recall the week before he had broken up with Lin. She told him she was going to Ba Sing Se, because they had some law keeping problem that her police force had been asked to fix. He remembered thinking that it sounded fishy, especially since Lin hadn't even said a proper goodbye to him.

"Remember? I disappeared for a whole week. It was the week of your birthday, too, wasn't it?" she said. "Anyways, I went down to the South Pole, swallowed my pride, and begged Katara to heal me, whatever it took. Because I didn't want to lose you."

"Days passed and I underwent healing session after healing session, I ate and drank these disgusting herbs. I had to go hours and hours of lying down and not moving an inch. And at the end of the week, Katara told me that I would be able to bear children once more. She said it was a miracle, and along with her healing, it was my sheer will and determination that had caused this to happen. Because I just wanted to be with you forever, Tenzin. It was the only thing that I wanted." She smiled sadly at this point, looking away from him. "I was going to have my own family, with the love of my life! It was two days after your birthday at this point. The entire boat ride from the South Pole, I was imagining your reaction once I told you. It was the best birthday present ever!"

"No…" Tenzin whispered. "No. You're lying."

"I'm not lying, Tenzin. What do I have to gain to lie to you know?" she said sharply. "Don't even _accuse _me of lying. I returned a day earlier than planned, and I ran to Air Temple Island to be with you. And I'm sure you remember what I saw then." Lin trembled, grabbing the armrests of her chair to steady herself. "You. Kissing that goddamn air acolyte. That _child_. That bloody little _floozy._ And don't you dare defend her right now. I have never insulted her before, when I had every right to Tenzin. Don't you _dare_ say a word."

Tenzin closed his mouth, burying his face in his hands. He remembered exactly what had happened next…

_He pulled away from Pema as he heard the familiar footsteps walk up the stairs from the docks. Tenzin prayed and hoped that it wasn't who he thought it was. But sure enough, as he looked up, his girlfriend Lin was standing there. He saw her lip tremble, and her emotions betrayed her for a moment before her expression turned icy and emotionless. _

"_Tenzin. I see you didn't miss me even a little," she said quietly, staring into his eyes._

"_Lin, we need to talk," he said, standing up. His eyes were pleading her not to say anything in front of Pema._

_Lin wanted to scream, shout, earthbend Pema into the sky, hurt Tenzin and do a number of other unspeakable things, but she just nodded, and began walking away, expecting Tenzin to follow._

_Tenzin quickly followed behind her, as she led them to a secluded place so they could talk._

"_Let me guess. You're going to make some excuse like, she kissed you, and you were trying to pull away or something, am I right?" Lin said. She was thinking to herself that even if he did say that, and said that she was still the one for him, she'd forgive and forget. The news she had was so wonderful, that she didn't even care that he may be cheating on her; they could move past that. Their love was that strong._

"_Umm…" Tenzin hesitated for a moment before sighing. "No, Lin. I kissed her. I was talking to her about…some problems and she was comforting me and I realized that I do love her. I'm sorry Lin, but I know that we've been growing apart for a while now, and…"_

_Lin stared at him, not believing his words. "Speak for yourself! I didn't feel that we had been growing apart at all."_

"_Don't try to pretend Lin. Ever since your accident, you've been distant. And then you just up and vanished for a week, without even saying goodbye. You even forgot my birthday, something you haven't done since we were children. Just face it, Lin. You don't love me like you did before. Like Pema does now. You're selfish, self-absorbed. You want me to be with you, even though you know that you can't give me the one thing I want, no, the one thing I need. And Pema can, and wants to give me that. I'm sorry Lin," he said with an air of finality._

_Lin vaguely thought that if she told him what had happened, everything would change, but she could not bear to be insulted like that. That air acolyte floozy loved him more than her? Never. Nor would she ever._

"_You know what, Tenzin? You're right. I'm a selfish bitch who can't give you your little airbending babies and yes, it's been years since I've loved you like I did when we were teenagers. Enjoy your life. Say hi to Pema for me," she said calmly, walking away from him._

"_Lin… I'm sorry I was so harsh… But you're my best friend, too. I want to remain friends…"_

"_Not bloody likely," she said quietly, tears stinging her eyes as she disappeared from his sight._

"Without even giving me a chance to talk, Tenzin. You just threw your assumptions on me, and ended it. Even _finally_ being fertile, I couldn't, wouldn't have my own family. Because I wanted your family. I watched that _floozy_ get everything I ever wanted. You, your children, your life. Everything. And I didn't cry once. I didn't lash out. Why? Because I'm Lin Beifong, rough, tough, unfeeling and strong. But no one seems to consider that I'm human as well. That I have feelings, that I hurt, that I cut, that I _bleed._ Even you. The one person I considered closer than family, assumed I would just get over it because I'm Lin Beifong. And you stopped loving me, but I never once stopped loving you with that same fire I began loving you with. In fact, that fire has only grown stronger and steadier with time." She angrily brushed a few escaped tears from her face.

"Lin, why didn't you tell me," he whispered. "I would've left Pema. I would've never left you…"

"After you _insulted_ me like that? After you questioned my love and called me selfish, Tenzin? I have some self-respect too. You weren't the Tenzin I knew then," she snapped.

"I never stopped loving you, Lin," he blurted out. "Never. Not for a second. Not even when I tried. I love Pema too, but I still love you. As wrong as that sounds Lin, I'm being honest here."

"Even if you did, Tenzin. Even if I believed that you weren't lying. What would it change? Absolutely nothing. You have a family, a loving wife, your reputation. And I have mine. So why did you come here? Why are you telling me this? Why do you want to drag up what happened fifteen years ago? Why are you intent on _destroying_ me for a second time? _Why_?"

Tenzin walked up to her, where she was standing. "Because I love you," he said, taking her face in his hands and kissing her lightly.


	5. Chapter 5

Lin only forgot herself for a moment. It only took a moment for her to close her eyes, and lose herself if the vaguely familiar sensation of kissing Tenzin. And only a moment later, she had earthbent the floor under Tenzin, sending the man flying away from her. Although Tenzin was a master airbender, his shock prevented him from slowing down his fall, and he crashed to the floor three feet away from her.

"Lin…" he groaned, getting to his feet.

"How _dare_ you do that? How _dare_ you kiss me like that? Did you forget that you have a wife? _Four children_?" she seethed, glaring at him.

Tenzin got to his feet and tried to approach her. "Lin, you have to understand where I'm coming from here…" he said weakly. "I'm honest when I say that I still love you, and that I never stopped. You can feel it. I know."

Lin hesitated. He _was _being honest. "But how does that change anything? Even if you do still love me? You might have wanted to _realize_ this fact fifteen years ago. Or even before you married Pema. Or even before you had your first child Tenzin. It's too late now. It's too late for anything besides friendship between us."

"I moved on, because I thought you moved on!" he exclaimed, grabbing her by her shoulders. "You never let showed any emotion to me. I thought you stopped caring about me, so I pretended I had stopped caring about you. But you were lying to yourself, and to me," he said softly, embracing her. "Lin, my love for you is too strong to ignore. Especially…especially after what you did the other day. I was going crazy thinking about what might happen to you. Do you have any idea why my family and I got caught? I went back for you, Lin. After we saw that airship with you on it turn around, I tried to keep going. But I couldn't. Not while knowing that you were in danger."

Lin had been staring at her feet this entire time, and she finally lifted her face to meet Tenzin's eyes. She was crying. "You already destroyed me once, Tenzin. Why do you want to do it again? Why do you want to give me this glimmer of hope, that the love of my life may once again be mine, and then just _snatch_ it away from me? Do you get some kind of perverse _joy_ in seeing me like this?" she whispered, her eyes not once leaving Tenzin's.

"Quite the contrary, Lin," he whispered, using his thumbs to wipe away a few of her tears. "I wish to always see your radiant smile. Every minute, every second of the day."

Lin wasn't quite sure who initiated it, but Tenzin's lips were on hers in a terribly furious kiss. Her mind was screaming at her that this was wrong. That he wasn't hers anymore. That he was a _married man._ But her body didn't care, and apparently, her body didn't forget either. What they were doing just felt so _natural_ to Lin, even though it had been over fifteen years. But of course it felt natural. They had done this _many_ times in the past.

The only thing on Tenzin's mind was Lin as he lifted her off the ground, and her muscular legs wrapped themselves around his waist.

"This is so wrong," she whispered in between kisses. "So incredibly wrong." There was no trace of regret in her voice though, or any indication of wanting to stop what they were doing. She was simply stating a fact.

_And indeed, it is wrong, _thought Tenzin. "But you're so incredibly right," he grinned, crushing his lips against Lin's once again.

Lin couldn't help laughing at the fact that Tenzin _still _used those cheesy lines. _Some things never change. Our love being one of those things._

"Hush now," he grumbled, a light blush spreading from his ears to his cheeks as he continued kissing her. Tenzin pushed Lin against a wall, and her legs tightened their grip around his waist as both of them were getting more and more aroused.

* * *

The night progressed as both of them had anticipated it; in a flurry of passion reminiscent of their teenage years. A passion none of them had felt since their break up.

Lin managed to convince Tenzin to relive some of the previous night's passion early next morning, before she knew he would have to leave.

Tenzin kissed her forehead after he had put his robes back on, the implications of what they had just done going unsaid between them. Along with what their relationship would be afterwards.

However, it had been silently decided that whatever happened that night would never happen again. Tenzin was still living happily with his family, and Lin was just his friend. His very good friend. His very good friend that happened to be dating his older brother, not that he minded. In fact, he was very happy for them. Mostly.

And maybe that's what both of them needed to continue on with their lives. A proper closure to their passionate relationship.

And a couple more closures after said closure.

And a few more after that.

And maybe another.

One or two.

Or more.

* * *

**Fin.**

[A/N: And this is the end of jealousy, ladies and gentlemen! I honestly wish I could continue it, but I felt that this was an appropriate way to end it. Leaves you guessing a little, doesn't it? But thank you so much for the support and all of the kind reviews! It honestly means a lot to me, every single review and compliment all of you left me. ;_; I will most definitely continue writing Linzin, and I hope you enjoy my future fics as well! Thanks again! 333]  



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